Sydenham: Elderly Sydney woman allegedly targeted by scammer claiming to be a roof repairman

An elderly woman from Sydney’s inner-west has narrowly avoided losing tens of thousands of dollars after a man allegedly tried to defraud her while claiming to be a roof repairman.

Police are appealing for assistance from the public to track down a man they believe can help in an investigation regarding the attempted scamming of a woman from Sydenham which took place on March 3.

Officers began investigating after they were told the 73-year-old woman was at home when she received a knock on the door from a man “claiming to be a roofer” who told her the apartment complex she lived in “needed urgent repairs”.

“The man persuaded the woman to let him inside; then police believe the man accessed her personal financial details,” a police spokesman said.

“The following day, the man returned and drove the woman to her local bank where she gave him a cheque for tens of thousands of dollars after being pressured to pay in advance for the repairs,” he said.

“The woman subsequently cancelled the cheque and reported the incident to Marrickville Police.”

Police have released CCTV footage of a man they say can help them in their investigation.

Inner-West Police Area Command Crime Manager, Detective Inspector Benjamin Kennis, has warned older residents to be wary of fraudsters.

“These scammers are targeting older people and claim that urgent home repairs are necessary, demanding large sums of money for work that is not needed,” Detective Inspector Kennis said.

“We would always recommend anyone approached like this should take the time and check these people are correctly licensed; these details can be checked with authorities such as NSW Fair Trading and Service NSW,” he said.

“It would also be a wise move to get a second, independent quote from known appropriately-licensed tradesmen to be sure your house actually needs the work. In any case, police advise older members of the community they shouldn’t let strangers into their home without checking first.”

Police have urged people to be on their guard, make sure you never attend banks with strangers, double check credentials and, where possible, get other family members involved.